Act of Betrayal
by bardicfaerie
Summary: Children are disappearing in Murphy's home town.  He must go home, confront his past, and solve the case.Caution: this deals with child abuse


Act of Betrayal

Kelly Kenrick

2007

Disclaimer: All Professionals characters are NOT my property, they remain the property of Mark One Productions and I mean no disrespect to anyone involved with the show. This story is the figment of my imagination and there is no truth to it at all in terms of characters and their lives.

The towns and places mentioned in this story are real, and as such I have tried to depict them correctly, but everything that happens and anyone who lives there is, again, a figment of my imagination.

This story would not be possible without the generous help of Pony with her contributions and suggestions (and hassling) so a big thanks goes out to her.

Murphy goes home to confront his past, while Bodie and Doyle must figure out why a prominent physician is receiving death threats.

"Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge, and dares to forgive an injury."

E. H. Chapin

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.  
E. H. Chapin

**Prologue**

The pulsing beat of the music enveloped the mass of bodies writhing in the small space. The music changed without really stopping, and the dancers changed as some couples headed for their tables and others claimed their places.

Murphy dropped into his chair with an explosion of breath, reaching for one of the glasses on the table. Tamsyn sat down beside him, grinning widely. She nodded towards the dance floor. "They're inexhaustible!"

'They' were Bodie, Doyle, and Jax, each with a partner in hand: Bodie and Doyle with their pick of the week, and Jax partnering Karen, one of the female agents on the squad. Inexhaustible they may be, they were still thirsty and joined the pair at the table.

"Did I tell you the terrible twins are coming to London?" Tamsyn continued.

"Terrible twins?" Doyle asked, draining his lager.

"My brother and sister." Tam elaborated. "Davyd and Ayshea.

"Whereabouts in Scotland are you from?" Karen leaned forward to make conversation easier.

"Northern. Sutherland. A place called Lairg."

"What do your brother and sister do?"

"Davyd is a surgeon. Ayshea is a singer, and the eldest of us all, Ethan, is an architect."

"How did the two of you meet?" Karen continued.

"She propositioned me." Murphy said with a sidelong grin at his wife.

"No, you invited me for coffee." Tamsyn returned.

"That's right. Then our schedules got a little hectic, and the next time we managed to say two words to each other was when she propositioned me."

"What did she say?" Bodie's eyes gleamed in merriment as he joined the conversation.

Before Murphy could reply, Tamsyn answered, "I asked him if he wanted to get the mindless shagging bit over with right away."

"I like the way this woman thinks!" Bodie laughed. "You watch it, mate. If I have to come after you, you won't be too happy. That is, if there's anything left of you after Tam is finished."

Bodie opened his mouth, still laughing, but Murphy beat him to it.

"After she teaches you a lesson in manners!"

_**Journal Entry: September 17 **_

_The conversation at the club last night brought back a lot of memories. Good ones. I had started my third year of studies with a place off campus. Granda had died at the end of the first year and the inheritance had finally sorted itself out. He had left me enough that I was able to find a place._

_I remember quite clearly my first meeting with Tam. She sat down beside me in one of my morning classes. I had glanced over at her as her hair, long, thick, and black, brushed against my shoulder. She had the most mesmerizing eyes I'd ever seen! I thought I'd been struck by lightning! She smiled at me, but class started and she didn't have time to speak. I ended up having a couple more classes with her and at the end of the day I took the plunge and asked her to join me for a cup of coffee._

_I was busy for most of the week getting my schedule sorted out. My calendar, as usual, was pretty much filled in. It wasn't until the end of the week when I was heading off campus that I heard her call out from behind me. That beautiful Scottish accent ... I thought my heart had stopped. I think more than anything it was her eyes and voice that I fell in love with first._

_She told me straight out that she was interested in me and seemed surprised that I was fighting my attraction towards her. It wasn't so much my attraction for her as the intensity of it! I swear if__ she could have seen what was going on in my head she'd have shot me. Man, was I wrong!_

_I wanted her to know what I was like going into this; if we developed a relationship I didn't want her to__ find out things about me to ruin it later. I have to admit to being scared that it would result in her wanting to have nothing to do with me. But I told her__everything. About Chris, my family, and about why I was concerned over my reactions towards her. She floored me when she asked if I wanted to 'get the mindless shagging bit over with right away' and then work on the relationship. Free thinking that decade might have been, radical thinking even, but I hadn't thought it would have included that..._

_Anyway, that was the start of it all and for some reason she's stuck around. Some days I wonder why!_

___**Chapter OneJournal Entry: September 20**_

___I'm actually not one to dwell on my past, to dwell on things that can't be changed. I'm of the attitude that is done is done, and I think the majority of the Squad feels the same way. Roll with the punches and give as good as you get. Of course, some of the bruises left over never completely heal. I know that Cowley wanted me to deal with the bruises left over from my father but how do you forgive a man for the type of things he did? I know part of the problem is that I'm angry with my mother as well. She had an opportunity to leave him, why didn't she? She may have endured the abuse to keep us safe, but once we were out of the house and out of the reach of his hands, why didn't she leave? If she had the strength to endure over 25 years of abuse, why wasn't she strong enough to endure a life without him? Why did she go back to him after he did his time in gaol?_

___I learned at an early age not to expect, or want praise from anyone. The only person I need to be concerned about in terms of approval is myself. I think that's why, despite my experiences, I can come across as such a cool character. I know the others see me that way, unperturbed by events that go on around me. I refuse to let the situation overwhelm me. I've learned throughout my life that humour helps, although I'm not as bad as some on the squad. No sense in letting my temper get away with me, that doesn't help the situation at all, especially if you are in the middle of something. If it gets on top of me, Tam helps me through it, or I go climb a mountain! There's nothing like trying to conquer nature to put things in perspective._

___I've had good people looking out for me all my life. I refused then, and still refuse, to let one person, well, two; ruin my life and my happiness. I know it's there and I know Cowley is right. I have to deal with it. Now that I'm married, I don't want this festering and influencing my future. He wanted me to deal with this two years ago, when they showed up at the office. Well, a couple of months in casts and rehabilitation therapy for another half a year or more put stop to that idea for a while. Then Tam and I got married. God, I can't believe that was almost a year ago. I've seen how Tam is with her family - the closeness she shares with her sister, brothers, and parents, and I am glad she is in my life. She balances me._

___Had a conversation with Cowley today. He told me his plans for my future and a few of the other old boys, if we outlive him. He basically told me that he was sending me on what would probably be one of my last major cases. He's going to start training me as a replacement for him. Some days I can't believe we've gotten this far. Maybe he's right; I could do his job and Bodie and Doyle would make sure that the new recruits survived more than one day on the job; they couldn't do a worse job than Macklin and Towser._

___After that he called in Bodie and Cynthia Martin and told us about the new case. Bodie is working with her and I'm heading back home to snoop around. I leave in the morning.  
_

_Bodie arrived at the Controller's office in the morning to find Cowley waiting impatiently for him. Also in the office were Murphy and one of the newer female recruits. The Controller scowled at Bodie as he settled himself into the chair after taking the time to look the woman over impudently. She gazed back coolly. Murphy, watching the exchange, grinned to himself._

_"If you are quite ready 3.7?" Cowley's voice was cold. At Bodie's unrepentant nod, he continued._

_"Doctor Jack Adamson." He stated bluntly, handing Bodie a folder. "He is currently dividing his time between his practice in London and his home in Great Bedwyn. He's receiving death threats. You and Miss Martin will be going down to the doctor's estates in Great Bedwyn and keeping him alive. Murphy will be staying in the town itself and trying to find out who is threatening Doctor Adamson."_

_"Why are we concerned about a doctor?" Bodie asked._

_"Because he has connections in Whitehall." Cowley took off his glasses and pressed two fingers over the bridge of his nose. "This request has come from a very high source."_

___**Chapter Two**_

___**Journal Entry: September 21, 1300 hrs.**_

___It's strange being back with DI Piper - Pips. Well, in close proximity. I remember when I stayed with him before. I think it was the first time I was able to get used to not looking over my shoulder. Of course, it didn't last that long, just long enough for the trial and getting everyone sorted out. I could have stayed with him, but it was felt that I would be better off with family, and so moved to live with my grandfather for the last couple of years of school. Granda was the one that introduced me to rock climbing. Agile old man. Hmmm…funny, Cowley reminds me of him in a lot of ways. Anyway, Granda was also the one who suggested the army as a career choice, having been in the ranks himself._  


___I remember one of the first times Granda took me rock climbing. It was a relatively easy climb, even for a beginner, but he made sure I knew what I was doing, and we went up in tandem. I don't know if that made me more careful or not – gave me a taste of having someone else's life in my hands anyway. This one particular climb I hit an outcrop of rock that I thought could hold my weight and it gave way before I was properly balanced. I came down hard, right into Granda and took him down with me. It was only about ten or fifteen feet, so it was basically just bruising, but I think I scared ten years off his life. I don't think he was expecting my reaction. He knew that Father had been given a sentence for abusing his family. It was bad timing to have the coppers enter the house while beating your wife because she was crying over her son being kicked out of the house for 'lewd behaviour'. _

___I don't know whether it was the way we ended up on the ground or why I reacted the way I did, but I went berserk on Granda; just started screaming and struggling – not an easy thing to do when you're tangled up in climbing ropes and all the other gear. He held me down, let me scream. He waited until I had finished my episode and then helped me untangle myself from all the rope. We straightened everything out, and he had me get back up on the rock and try again. We made it to the top and came back down, and then he made me go up it again, alone. _  
_  
When we got home that night he sat me down and made me tell him what happened. I don't think my story improved his opinion of his son-in-law at all. He taught me a lot, Granda did, most of all respect, tolerance, and how to keep my temper. I'm sure the entire squad would be shocked to learn I had a temper. Everyone sees an easygoing, friendly guy. Granda started me on the road of meditation, martial arts, and inner calm. He was a lifeline. I would've thought he'd have raised a strong-willed daughter, but she married someone like Father? Maybe it's true, opposites attract. After all, Tam is a strong-willed woman. I didn't stand a chance against her once she made up her mind we were going to date. It's a good thing she's so strong-willed! With my lifestyle, my job, she needs the strength to put up with me._

___  
Anyway, Bodie and I are going to communicate as much as possible through Pips. He's known around town as a good source of information. Bodie was introduced to Pips at the pub where they stopped for lunch. He asked Pips for directions. If Bodie and I need to pass on information urgently, we can get Pips to pass the messages on. I'll be seeing Pips every day, or phoning him. If there's something Bodie really needs to know, Pips can run up to the Lodge and invite him to view the sights in the area. Bodie and I already plan to meet up every couple of days to pass on progress reports. I run, and I know the area. Bloxham Lodge, the doctor's estate, is not far from here. It's isolated with lots of woodland, and paths, which can be used as running trails. Good place for an ambush too. It will be easy for Bodie or Cynthia to meet me on Bedwyn Common on the other side of the estate and chat there. It should be hard to overhear us from there._

___I'm staying at Kestral Cottage, the self-catering cottage that Pips has owned since he retired some years ago. I think he owns several. Nice place, between Great Bedwyn and Crofton. It's in the vicinity of the Lodge on the edge of Savernake Forest. I can run the paths easily enough. Pips says he'll point out the meeting place to both Bodie and Cynthia. _

_Bodie drummed his fingers irritably on the steering wheel, scowling out the window. Trust the woman to be late. Typical. Why didn't the Cow put Doyle on the case with him? According to the meeting, Doyle was to remain in London and look into the doctor's history at the hospital and his clinics. While he was in the back of beyond with a raw recruit and no back-up. Well, there was Murph, but since they wouldn't be in regular contact what good was that?_

_He scowled again, glanced at his watch, then out the window. Bodie refused to acknowledge the fact that he had gotten here early. He refused to admit that he wanted to find fault with her. Of course, part of the reason was the fact that he found her quite attractive._

_Cynthia Anne Martin appeared in the doorway, pausing to adjust the case strap on her shoulder. She noticed Bodie as he opened his door and got out. Walking around to the boot of the car, he opened it and waited as Cynthia walked towards him. Mentally he tallied up her assets. Cynthia was 5'6", with long curly brunette hair, approximately 135 pounds with a slim, muscular build. Petite. Nice looking. Cynthia brushed past Bodie to place the case in the boot and continued around to the passenger side as Bodie slammed the boot lid down and climbed back into the car._

_They travelled through London, found the connection to the M4 and headed towards Reading. It took them just under three hours to get to the village of Great Bedwyn. It took Bodie awhile after they started the journey to relax and think about the positive side of this assignment. After all, he was with a very pretty bird, who was supposed to be madly in love with him. Why not make the most of it? With that thought came another. If they were supposed to be lovers, they needed to make sure they had their stories straight and act like they were lovers. What better way to get to know the love of his life than the way he knew best? So, once he had left the outskirts of London behind him, he turned on the famous Bodie charm._

_Bodie and Cynthia stopped in the pub in Great Bedwyn for a bite to eat. Murphy was seated at one of the tables against the wall with a big bear of a man. After Bodie and Cynthia had ordered a couple of drinks and the pub lunch they sat down a couple of tables away, in front of the window, to eat. When it came time to leave, they paused by Murphy's table to ask for directions from his companion. The bar maid had pointed him out as a source of local information regarding places of interest, and a possible guide on tours of the area._

_"Well, I plan on taking this one around on a few trips, and you're welcome to join us any time," the older man, whom the bar maid had called Pips, invited them. Murphy looked up and nodded his agreement._

_Bodie and Cynthia looked at one another and nodded. "We're visiting my uncle up at the Lodge, so I don't know how much time we'll have for exploring, but we should be able to get together a couple of times."_

_"The doctor? I'll call on him from time to time to see if you are able to … how long are you two staying?"_

_"Oh, we haven't really decided yet." Cynthia's voice was smooth. "We're planning on spending as much time together as possible. Bill here is waiting to be called up for the army, and that could be anytime."_

_Murphy had been engrossed in finishing his lunch. As Cynthia and Bodie headed for the door, however, he spoke to the older man. "You'd better show me this cottage then, so I can get settled in."_

_As they walked out into the parking lot, they noticed Bodie and Cynthia just starting to get into their vehicle. Hailing them, Pips suggested they follow him and Murphy and he would show them the turn off leading to the Lodge._

___  
_Bodie moved methodically through the house, checking every window, every access to the outside, every entrance that someone could use. The doctor had a state of the art security system and he still needed a babysitter to hold his hand in case someone jumped out at him. Of course, he was lily-white clean. Nothing staining his hands, so he said, but there must be something in his closets if he was frightened enough to want CI-5 help. What would be a strong enough motive to back out of whatever slimy little thing he was involved in, and risk exposure of it?

_He knew that he and Cynthia had to give some semblance of normalcy - they couldn't barricade themselves in the manor, and they would have to be seen as a couple doing touristy, couple things. His mouth quirked at that. Once he had got her talking in the car, she proved to be quick-witted, good verbal fencing. Things had definitely started to look up at that! He also sensed a strong will about her. She was not going to be an empty-headed bird screaming at the first sign of trouble. If he and Cynthia did go out and do the touristy bits (who wants to look at a bunch of stones in a circle anyway?) that would mean leaving the doctor alone. Of course, the doctor would be travelling to London regularly. Bodie could wander about on his own and Cynthia could drive the doctor in, since she was supposed to be renewing family ties._

_Bodie's lips twisted sardonically as he stalked through the manor. He never could like tossers such as the doctor and his flagrant display of wealth. They expected special treatment, like CI-5's best agents to investigate a simple blackmail that the local coppers could handle. But they were the first to demand special treatment because of their privilege and wealth and the fact they could name their ancestors back to the Battle of Hastings or some such obscure battle of Britain. What did Doyle say? "The class system rules, ok!"_

___**Chapter Three**_

___**Journal Entry, September 23, 1800 hrs.**_

___I've been driving around the area. Went into Great Bedwyn. It's definitely changed in twenty years. Or maybe I've changed. Lisa was buried in Basingstoke, so I had no reason to come back here. Of course I drove through it on my way here, stopped at the Cross Keys Pub on the High Street for something to eat and to meet up with Pips. Same old buildings, not much has changed, a few things look a little more modern._

___I've settled into the cottage, and let myself be seen in the community. People around here are used to tourists, especially due to the closeness of Salisbury Plain, so they are not going to wonder what I am doing driving around. Some of them will no doubt remember that I'm from around here, so there's not going to be any questioning as to why I'm not staying with my parents. I'm taking my runs, sporadically, through the woods in the area and beside the tow path along the canal. That takes me into Bedwyn itself. Pips and I will hook up regularly - after all he's an old friend. I'll start driving around the area and see what I can find out. Pips says he'll see about taking Bodie or Cynthia around and thus pass on messages that way. These journal entries are being sent to Tamsyn daily, so that nothing is left in the cottage, just in case. Doyle or Cowley will get them from her. However, I also need one that is a 'travel' journal just in case. _

___I've been reading in the local papers about some children disappearing in the area. I mentioned the article to Pips who informed me that this was occurring in the entire south-eastern area. The local CIDs are just realizing that the same person might be doing the lot of unsolved crimes. I've decided to go looking into this. If the doctor is being blackmailed, and threatened, this may have a bearing on things. We don't know why he's being blackmailed, and he says he doesn't know. I'll start with the bigger places, Hungerford and Marlborough. If I have to I'll go looking into Basingstoke and Trowbridge, then expand my search even more. The locals must know something. Pips says he'll give me names to contact. _

_Bodie arranged to take out a horse while Cynthia drove to Basingstoke with the doctor on his regular rounds. He rode through the woods surrounding the estate checking the area for hiding places for anyone targeting the doctor. The wood was old growth, part of the forest that once covered the area._

_As the horse ambled through the trees on a well-trod path, Bodie kept his eyes open. Eventually he came to a clearing in which an old stone building stood. Dismounting, he threw the reins over a low-hanging branch and walked towards the building. A quick glance inside showed no signs of recent inhabitation however transitory, so he walked back to the horse and continued on. After about two hours he came upon Bewley Farm._

_Like the other buildings Bodie had come across, the farm was deserted. It looked to have once been a small manor house. Bodie made a mental note to find out how long it had been unoccupied. Leaving the horse in a small paddock that still looked solid enough to hold the animal, he made a slow survey of the barn and approached the main building. He noticed tyre tracks in the dirt of the yard. Lots of tyre tracks. Well, that could be the local lads finding a remote area to hang out with their girlfriends. Walking inside he noticed footprints in the dust on the floor. Treading cautiously in them, he made his way through the house. He had almost convinced himself that this was another dead end when his eyes fell on some debris in the room off the kitchen. He squatted down to investigate. What he had taken as left-over junk from the previous family rotting in the corner was in fact a couple of old mattresses and thin blankets. As he glanced around him, he noticed the clear print of a small foot, unlike the majority of footprints he had so far noticed and trod in. His mouth thinned in contemplation, but there were no further clues to be gleaned. Rising, he swiftly moved back outside to grab the horse and ride back to the doctor's manor._

___**Chapter Four**_

___**Journal Entry - September 25, 2000 hrs**_

___I've travelled around the area for the last two days and have been discovering something interesting. There's been a series of disappearances in the surrounding counties and towns over a long period of time, probably in the last five years. The only cases that really have raised any questions are the ones where the children have turned up dead. I don't know if I am projecting what happened to me, and everything surrounding that event with what is going on now. What if the bastard is back in the area and taking up where he left off? Audacious of him, certainly. I know the assaults stopped after I was attacked, but was that because Wolfe and his men were caught, or did they just leave the area? I was never asked to testify. Anyway, I don't know whether or not it has anything to do with the reason I am here. Is the doctor involved at all? _

___I asked Pips about Doctor Adamson. Pips told me Adamson was my attending physician when I was attacked. I can't see him being involved with child abductions and murders, but stranger things have happened. Bodie says no one has come to visit the manor, and the Doctor still says he knows nothing about any threats. I'm wondering if the blackmailer knows that the doctor has bodyguards and is revising his game plan, or are we in fact thwarting something? He insists that he doesn't know why someone would want to kill him. If he was the physician attending me 14 years ago, could it be that he knows something about my attacker, and, since the bastard seems to be back in the area, they want to get rid of loose ends?_

___**  
**__I think the local CIDs are actually happy that some other squad has come in to look at these cases. Pips let on that I was investigating the old Bedwyn cases and wanted to compare notes to see if it was the same men. If it is, why would they start up again in the same area after a period of almost 15 years?_

___I've sent off a note to Headquarters to see if anyone can get a list of names of criminals that might do this sort of crime; ones who may have just gotten out of prison after a long stretch. Pips will let Bodie know what we are thinking; that will give him a more specific direction to look at with the doctor._

___Anyway, I introduced myself to the local CID in Hungerford today. They have a few unsolved in their area. The children are between the ages of eight and 15 it looks like. They haven't been able to discount the idea of the older two having just run off. Family life was relatively normal, nothing to suggest a desire to run off; no signs of abuse that the coppers could find. I took the files and headed for the local schools. If the coppers were asking the adults, then I might get a different answer from the children's friends and schoolmates. I'll talk to the parents as well, of course._

___  
_Bodie ran into Murphy in the Cross Keys Pub and asked if he was interested in a drink. The conversation mainly centred around sites in the area that might be worth visiting. Murphy, of course, mentioned Salisbury Plain. They enjoyed a couple of pints and walked out of the pub together. As Murphy opened the door to his car, he suggested Bodie check out an old church in the area. Bodie nodded and headed towards his car.

_It was several hours before Bodie approached the church Murphy had mentioned. There was no sign of another vehicle in the vicinity, but Bodie wasn't concerned. As he wandered into the ruins of the church his name was called softly from the shadows._

_Joining Murphy where he stood in the entryway leading outside to the cemetery Bodie automatically checked for anyone else in the area. He noticed Murphy keeping an eye open as they moved among the gravestones._

_"You know, I really hate graveyards." Bodie groused good naturedly._

_Murphy just smiled. He pointed to a newly dug grave to their left. "This is the grave of a six-year-old child who was found three weeks ago. She had been abused before being killed."_

_Bodie looked at him questioningly._

_"There's been a rash of children disappearing around the area for the last five years. The local Chiefs haven't connected the disappearances with any one suspect, nor have they connected their own cases with other, similar ones in different counties. I think we are looking at a bigger picture. I think all the disappearances are connected. There has been a number of children like this one," he indicated the grave again, "who have been found dead. I can't see two sets of criminals working in the same areas with similar interests. Someone is abducting and killing children in the area."_

_Bodie looked puzzled. "I was looking around the doctor's estates the other day. There was this one particular farm which looks like it might be used as some place to keep children. There was a small footprint in the dust, what dust there was in there, it's been scuffed up quite a bit, plus some old mattresses and blankets."_

_At Murphy's nod of encouragement, Bodie described the farm in more detail, along with the surrounding area. Murphy's mouth tightened. "Bewley Farm. It's been empty for as long as I've lived here, and there was a series of incidents when I was younger where it was used as a base of operations. It can't be the same people - they couldn't be that stupid."_

_Bodie looked at him. "These are criminals we're talking about. Of course they're going to be stupid. They are too arrogant not to slip up."_

_"Let me look into this more." Murphy suggested. " I'm talking to the local CIDs in the area. I'll let you know if anything turns up."_

___**Chapter Five**_

___**Journal Entry**__**September 27**_

___Today I went to Marlborough. Same sort of thing. Three children missing, between the ages of 10 and 14 this time. Here, one was female, the other two male. In Hungerford they were all males. These three seem to be more on the fringe of things, loners, but again, the coppers haven't made any mention of any family problems._

___I'll be heading to Trowbridge tomorrow, to see whether their cases are similar to the ones I've already discovered. I can't believe these people haven't figured out a connection to their cases before this.__These cases are staggered, but there is a time line appearing. I have Pips working on establishing that time line, but we still need to figure out what it connects up to. I haven't decided whether we should be looking at lorry drivers, or something else. _

___Are the cases where the children are disappearing and the cases where they are showing up dead being caused by the same people? Are we only looking for a serial killer/child abuser, or are we also looking for runaways? The MO for the dead children now fit the MO from 14 years ago. Could Wolfe be back because of someone in the area like Adamson? _

___Adamson was my physician 14 years ago. Wolfe was in the area. So, questions I want answers to:_

___What does the doctor remember about the crimes committed when I was a kid?_

___Was he involved in the original assaults and is Wolfe now blackmailing him by threatening to expose Adamson's involvement? _

___Is Adamson involved in something completely unrelated to these deaths, both 14 years ago and now?_

___If he is involved in something completely different, why is he risking exposure by asking CI-5's help? _

___Why is Adamson being blackmailed?_

_The doctor announced that he had some appointments he needed to keep in London. Bodie decided to drive the doctor back. Once in London, he dropped by Headquarters and arranged with Cowley to have an agent drive the doctor back in a couple of days while Bodie returned to Great Bedwyn. Cynthia took advantage of the doctor's absence to look around the house. Usually the doctor kept his study locked, but that proved no great deterrent for a trained agent. Making sure the door was locked behind her, she looked around._

_Her first object of interest was the large desk in front of the windows. Sitting down, she started to carefully move the papers on the desk. She wasn't sure what she was looking for. She started opening the desk drawers and discovered the bottom one was locked. This lock also proved easy to pick and soon she was looking through a bunch of folders._

_The information she discovered made her even more curious. The files proved to be those of children the doctor had treated in the clinics around the area. The illnesses seemed to vary drastically, and Cynthia wasn't sure why they would be important._

_Flipping through the stack of files, the agent noticed a piece of paper between two of them. The paper didn't seem to have anything to do with the files and Cynthia was ready to discard it when she noticed that it was a list. Focusing her attention on it, she glanced down the entire list and came to the conclusion that it was a list of drugs._

_Taking her notebook out of her pocket she quickly copied down the names of the drugs, and the names of the children on the file folders. Closing the drawer, she stood up and went over to the bookcase. Idly running her fingers along the spines of the books, her attention was drawn to what looked like journals. Pulling the first one off the shelf, she opened it. She riffled through the pages expecting it to be a normaldiary of events inthe doctor's life, or his thoughts, the usual stuff people wrote in diaries. Instead, it proved to have names on each page with information, she assumed, of the person. Pausing at one name she read the entry._

_Murphy, M; male, aged 14_

_Parents: Edwin and Caroline_

_Address:_

_Symptoms/Injuries: cracked ribs, black eye, mild concussion, scrapes and bruises on arms and legs ..._

_Diagnosis: the injuries are consistent with the child being beaten and raped._

_Treatment:_

_Under the last heading, Cynthia noted several drugs listed. She flipped through more of the pages, and each one held similar information about other children. She returned the journal to its place and reached for the last book on the shelf._

_Flipping through this one, she noticed something. Picking up her notebook she glanced down the list of names. The name on the page in the journal was one of the names on the files in the drawer. Going back to the desk she opened the drawer again and searched through the files. Finding the relevant one, she flipped it open and started comparing the two. The doctor's journal seemed to be written after the visits to the hospital or clinic and seemed to be the doctor's thoughts or knowledge of the child and their parents, their illness and their treatment. The file she held was more clinically formatted. Something caught her eye. There was an inconsistency between the lists of drugs noted in the file and those listed in the journal._

_Half an hour later, Cynthia had gone through all the files and found the corresponding names in the journal. All the drugs listed in the journal were different from those in the files. Not all the names on the files were in the journal and Cynthia suspected the doctor was in the middle of updating his journals._

_Feeling she was pushing her luck if she stayed any longer in the study she finished making notes on the different drugs and put everything back. She listened for noise at the study door and then slipped out._

_Making her way towards the stables, with the intention of grabbing one of the horses and hopefully finding Murphy or DI Piper, she heard a car drive up. Glancing back she saw Bodie's car. Reversing her direction she walked over as Bodie cut the engine._

_Cynthia got into the car with Bodie and excitedly started telling him about what she had discovered. "We'll have to get in touch with Murphy and Cowley as soon as possible." She hesitated. "Murphy's name was in the first book I picked up."_

_"Lot's of Murphys around. You sure it was our Murph?"_

_"Don't know." She handed him the notes she made"Maybe you can see something in the notes. Maybe the drugs are different just because they are different names for the same drugs - generic names rather than clinical names. It's something else to put into the computer."_

_"The doctor is still in London and we can't really do anything until we hear from Murphy or Cowley." Bodie commented. " Fancy taking the horses out?"_

_They wandered over to the stables and asked the groom to saddle two horses. Shortly he came out with a bay and a black. Bodie grabbed the reins of the black thoroughbred. Cynthia took the reins of the blood bay mare and swung up with the ease of long practice._

_The mare was eager to step out, dancing in place, but Cynthia controlled her with a firm hand. After getting information on good riding places where the horses could stretch their legs, the pair headed off. As promised, they soon came to Bedwyn Common. Cynthia glanced over at Bodie, then with a grin, challenged him. "Bet I can beat you across."_

_Without waiting for a reply, she signaled to the mare, who lept forward and in a few strides was at a full gallop. Over the muffled thud of the mare's hooves she could hear the thundering drum of the black coming up behind her. The horses automatically slowed as they reached the road and crossed over. The mare was quick to pick up her pace again, and soon turned onto a wide path leading into the forest. After a while, they entered a large clearing and headed towards the stream cutting across the far corner._

_Cynthia swung down off the horse and allowed her to drink from the stream. The black was right beside her and Bodie was close enough to brush against her as he dismounted. Cynthia laughed up at him._

_After allowing the horses to drink, Bodie and Cynthia let them pick their own path. They swapped theories back and forth and Bodie filled Cynthia in on his conversations with Cowley. Doyle was finding out that the doctor had a lot of wealthy patients who were coming in for some very minor complaints. Doyle was planning on looking through the doctor's records at the clinic after the doctor had returned to Great Bedwyn. Bodie would pass the notes Cynthia had given to him to Murphy to include with his journals being sent to Cowley._

_Cynthia's horse shied suddenly, snorting with unease. Bodie pulled up his horse as it too started to dance nervously. Exchanging glances, the two agents dismounted, and tied their horses to a low-hanging branch._

_Gun in hand, Bodie led the way in the direction the horses had been looking. A couple of yards off the path was a small opening. Bodie stopped just short of the clearing, staring at the body on the ground. Motioning Cynthia to stay where she was, he cautiously made his way around the edge of the foliage to kneel down beside the body._

_Carefully turning the body over, Bodie shook his head. Calling to Cynthia, he gave terse instructions: "Get back to the house and call the local police. I'll stay here and secure the scene."_

_The next several hours were chaotic as the police came to investigate the scene. Bodie had one of the young constables take the horses back to the manor. As the light faded into night, he and Cynthia were finally given a lift back to the Doctor's house."_

___**Chapter Six**_

___**Journal Entry **__**September 29**__  
Trowbridge CID had thought of the lorry angle. They haven't been able to establish anything in the way of lorry drivers being in the areas at the time of the children's disappearance.__Only two here have disappeared. They are also suggesting I look further south. Basingstoke is still a possibility, although that's in the north – it's a bigger place, and could provide more clues. _

___Bodie and I met up in Haw Wood the other day. He passed on the information Cynthia had discovered. He seemed very uncomfortable as he talked. Then I found out why._

___It seems the doctor has been keeping journals. One of the journals Cynthia read mentioned me._

_Bodie looked up as Murphy entered the grove. Reaching down beside him, Bodie proffered a water bottle. He waited until the tall agent had drunk the water and sat down beside him._

_Bodie leaned forward and contemplated his hands. "Cynthia found some very interesting information while I was in London with the good doctor and Cowley." As Bodie passed on the news, Murphy's face became more and more thoughtful._

_Bodie hesitated before he concluded. "She mentioned seeing your name in one of the journals as well. One of the earliest. The entry was when you were 14."_

_"How do you know it's me?"_

_"Come on, mate! It's me! How many M. Murphy's are there around here, with a father whose name is Edwin? I was there when he showed up at Headquarters, remember? What do you know about this case? How are you involved?"_

_"I'm not involved, Bodie!" Murphy snapped back. Then the tension ran out of him. "I'm worried that my father is involved."_

_Bodie continued to look at him while Murphy drank the water. Finally, the tall agent began to speak._

_"There was a series of child abuse cases when I was 14. They are similar to the ones I've been hearing about now. The abuse stopped after...after I was attacked. They seemed to have only started up again in the last few years. That suggests to me that the men who were grabbing children here before went to jail and got out again."_

_"Back up and tell it from the beginning, mate." Bodie's voice was quiet._

_"You might have noticed when you saw my father, that he's an alcoholic." At Bodie's nod, Murphy continued slowly. "He used to beat my mother, and as we got older, Lisa and I. As I got older he seemed to concentrate more on me, which was fine in a sense. That at least meant that he wasn't hurting Mother and Lisa as much. I think he was getting afraid of me because I was growing up, getting stronger, and he probably thought that one of these days I would turn on him, and he wanted me well and truly under his thumb, to control me."_

_"Children in the area were being abducted, abused, and killed. The ages were usually between 6 and 10. However, all the kids in the area were warned about going out alone, you know, the usual cautions. Teachers in the schools talked to their students, parents were supposed to talk to their kids."_

_"I stayed after school one afternoon with a bunch of the boys to play a bit of football. Before we knew it was getting dark. I knew I was in for it when I got home. I wasn't that far from home when I noticed a lorry parked on the side of the road, and a man looking at one of the tyres. If I hadn't been concerned about getting home and having whatever punishment my father would mete out over with, I probably would have been more observant. The man asked me if I could help him, if I knew where there was a garage still open. I approached closer, and all of a sudden I got hit from behind. There had been another man hiding behind the truck._

_"When I came to, I was tied up and..." Murphy stopped, his voice cracking. When he resumed the story, his voice was flat once more. "I don't know how long I had been there, or how long they had been abusing me. I think they got interrupted because they didn't kill me. I was groggy because of the blow to the head, so I didn't hear everything they were saying. I was more concerned with the pain I was feeling, and, strangely enough, what Father was going to do when I got home."_

_"Anyway, they suddenly left me, tied up, half-conscious. They just took off. I must have lost consciousness again because when I came to, I wasn't tied up. Someone had been there and untied me. I got up, staggered out, discovered I was at Bewley Farm... " Murphy stopped at Bodie's sudden movement. Bodie gestured for Murphy to continue._

_"I made it home. Walked in the door. My father took one look at me and went nuts. I tried to tell him what had happened, but he started going on that I was lying, that I must be a pervert and this was the result of a boyfriend... I honestly had no idea what he was on about. Mother came into the kitchen and actually tried to stand up for me, telling Father that I needed to get to a hospital. He shouted at her that he was not going to take me to the hospital and have people find out that I was a flamin' catamite; if I wanted to have men pawing at me I could deal with the consequences, but not in his home. He'd be damned if he let me stay a minute longer under his roof, eating his food, he hadn't raised me to be that way... it went on."_

_"I couldn't move, Mother was screaming at him, and then Pips showed up at the door just as Father hit Mother. That's all it took. Pips arrested him, took Mother, Lisa, and I to the hospital. Charged Father with child abuse, child endangerment, and assault. He went to jail for a few years, Mother and Lisa stayed here in Bedwyn, with Pips keeping an eye on them, and I went to live with my Granda."_

_"Bewley Farm. That was the farm back in the woods a bit, on the edge of the doctor's estate? The one we talked about before." Bodie asked. He looked over at Murphy judging his mood._

_"Why do you think your Father might be involved now?"_

_Murphy looked up at him. "He wasn't shocked when I came into the house, he was angry. Like I wasn't supposed to show up. If he didn't have anything to do with the attacks on children, why didn't he expect me to come home that night?"_

_"And, he's been in jail for a couple of years." Murphy continued. "After I was attacked, no more children showed up dead. It was as if the pedophiles left the area. Why would they stop unless one of them got caught?"_

_"Maybe they left because they got interrupted and couldn't kill you, so they didn't want to be in the area for you to identify them. Wasn't that why they killed the children after they abused them? No witnesses, no clues. Do you know what interrupted them?" Bodie pressed his colleague._

_"Same person that went to the police. One of the boys I had been played football with had noticed me talking to the men at the lorry and had followed the lorry on bicycle. Stupid of him, really, he could have been killed himself. He almost lost them at one point, so they had time to do their worst by the time he got there. He started making noise, making it sound like there were several people outside. The men panicked and took off. He came back in, found me, untied me, couldn't get me out of there on his bike, so went back for the police. They didn't find me at the farm and went to my place, just in time to see Father hit Mother."_

_Murphy was silent, and Bodie didn't want to speak. After several moments, Murphy shook himself and stood up. Bodie also rose, and handed him the notes Cynthia had given him._

_"You heard about the body we found the other day? A child. Abused."_

_Murphy shook his head. "It's got to be Wolfe or one of his men." At Bodie's questioning look, he elaborated. "One of the men who abused me. I heard one of his men call him by name." Murphy sighed. "I know, he's not the only man in England to abuse and murder children, but with this same MO?"_

_Bodie just shrugged. "You're driving around again today?" At Murphy's nod, he continued. "Get these to Cowley and see if they match with any of the names of the missing children, and find out what the drugs are, and why he seems to have prescribed two different sets."_

_Bodie watched as Murphy rose to his feet, and trotted out of the grove. After the taller agent had disappeared into the trees, Bodie rose and made his own way out of the grove, back to the car._

___**Chapter Seven**_

___**Journal Entry**__**October 1**_

___Well, Bodie knows my story now. I don't know if it's a relief to have someone on the squad other than Cowley know about it or not. He didn't say much, accepted it as part of the life we live. Of course, I don't know anything about his past, so who knows what skeletons are lurking in his closet to accept mine so easily. _

___  
I went to Basingstoke today. They are suggesting talking to CID in Reading. Got information back from Control as well. There has been a rash of disappearances, with some children's bodies turning up, over the last five years. No one stands out as a possibility. No one seems to have gotten out of prison in that time frame. It is starting to look like this is a much bigger area than I first thought. I now have them looking into whether they are the same kids that are in the files and journals at Doctor Adamson's._

___At Reading I was finally able to get a map big enough for my purposes … I'm certainly missing Control's amenities! I had Control send all the information they had to Reading so that we could go through it and see whether we could find anything. With the information Control sent me of all the child abductions I'm trying to plot out where they took place on the map. They have provided me with what they are calling just the highly suspect cases. Even that lot is staggering, and this is only in the area south of London. I hadn't realized how many thousands of children disappear in this country. Thank God for the computer at headquarters winnowing out some of them. Still. At the moment we are concentrating on the areas I've covered so far, and points further south. We are also narrowing further down to include abuse._

___One thing stands out as soon as I look at the map. Something I knew, but didn't realize. Bedwyn is the epicentre for three major ports. Ports. Shipping. Shipping schedules! Control says it might take a few days for the computer to digest the information we want and see whether it can tally with any shipping dates. Of course, that means feeding it as much shipping information from the three major ports as possible. I'm going to start looking further south. See what information I can gather from Avesbury and area. I'll have to let Bodie know about the shipping information. _

___First, Cowley wants me back at Headquarters for a full briefing on what I've found out. I can guess what that conversation will include._

_Cowley looked out the window and watched as Murphy got out of the car and stretched. The agent glanced up at the cold grey stone of the building that housed Headquarters. Cowley could see the grimace on his face. Cowley knew Murphy was intelligent, that he knew what the Controller would ask him to do. Cowley watched as Murphy locked the car door and entered the building._

_A couple hours later they were still in the Controller's office. Doyle was part of the meeting, and the three men struggled to put the pieces together._

_Doyle started the meeting. "I've been looking into Adamson's activities when he's been in London. I've tailed him to several clinics that he works at and the hospital. I've chatted up a couple of the nurses at the hospital to find out what these drugs were. Some of the drugs on the list you provided, Murph, are relatively mild. Some painkillers substituted for cheaper brands. Others are the equivalent of placebos. I've also talked to the receptionist at one of the clinics. The clientele there are upper-crust. Whitehall. Highly placed officials that come through that particular door on a regular basis. Most of the complaints seem pretty minor - headaches, stomach complaints, that sort of thing, which puzzled the receptionist. As far as she could tell, the doctor prescribed medicine that could be found at any neighbourhood chemists without the need for a consultation."_

_Doyle paused for a moment. "So, I did more digging." Doyle gave a sidelong look at his boss who calmly looked back at him._

_"I went in after hours and started looking through desk drawers and filing cabinets. I found a list of officials and other members of high society. Since Cynthia found a second set of books at the doctor's house, I figured he might also have a second set at the clinic." Doyle shifted in his seat before continuing. "I didn't find any. I took pictures of the lists of names of the clientele and called it a night."_

_"I decided to check out the doctor's house after he left to go back to the country. His second set of journals was in the library. Why he'd think they'd be safely hidden with a bunch of books is beyond me, but that's where he put them. I took pictures of the journal pages and came back to Headquarters."_

_Doyle passed around the photos he had taken. The pictures showed entries similar to the ones Cynthia had found._

_"It looks like Doctor Adamson has been providing drugs to members of Whitehall. They come in for headache tablets and leave with pharmaceuticals of a different nature. Very highly addictive ones."_

_"If he is selling drugs to Whitehall, why on earth would he want that found out? Why wouldn't he pay the blackmailer and keep quiet?" Both Doyle and Cowley looked over at Murphy when he spoke. "Maybe he knows something about the blackmailer that's more important than his drug dealing. Maybe he's trying to get out of the drug business, having second thoughts."_

_"What do you want to do about the doctor?" Doyle asked Cowley who had been quiet throughout most of the discussion, letting his agents hash it out._

_"Leave him for now. He's due back in London in a few days. We have the house and the clinic phone bugged, right? Let's see if we can find out more. Has Bodie said anything about any phone calls?" Murphy shook his head._

_"Alright Doyle, go home, get some sleep. Be here early in the morning and we will figure out what we are going to do about Whitehall." Cowley waited until Doyle had left the room before turning to Murphy._

_Murphy spoke first. "The doctor is not being blackmailed, is he?"_

_At Cowley's look, Murphy continued. "None of this fits. Why would a person who is involved in criminal activities, which the Doctor most certainly is, risk exposure by complaining to the law about being blackmailed? He'd ask for help, probably, but not from us."_

_Cowley allowed himself a small smile, hidden by the glass of whiskey he raised to his lips. He remained quiet however, as Murphy continued to speak._

_"Questions we've not been able to answer. Why is he being blackmailed and by whom? Bodie is already hinting at the fact that there's been no contact between the doctor and the blackmailer. He's told me there has been no phone calls, no bombs, no one is shooting at him, no letters, no threats of any type. We've given them opportunity to show themselves every time the doctor travels around to his clinics or back and forth from London. The doctor is annoyed that Bodie and Cynthia are there, but that's probably because he's afraid that he'll get caught."_

_Cowley nodded. His voice held a note of satisfaction. "You're correct, Murphy. Adamson didn't ask for our help. He is accepting Bodie and Cynthia's presence at his house because if he doesn't he will find himself in very deep trouble. We will deal with the doctor after we deal with the real reason you are down there."_

_"The attacks on the children?" Murphy nodded, thoughtfully._

_"And how it is connected to the attacks 14 years ago. You do believe that these attacks are connected?"_

_"It's beginning to look like it. They kidnapped, abused, and killed the kids. It looks like Wolfe and his men are involved. Unless you have any other suspects that we can question." Murphy's voice was calm._

_"I've been looking more closely at some of the cases back then. Shortly after your assault there was a series of attacks in Surrey. Same MO. There were a couple of men who were interviewed, but no one was ever charged. You are certain the man who attacked you was Wolfe?" Cowley handed Murphy a file that had been sitting on his desk._

_Opening the file, Murphy found himself staring at a picture of the man who had asked him for help that night. Murphy studied the photograph for a moment before flipping it over to read the information included._

_Ralph Wolfe had a history of violence, mostly pub fights. He hung around with a bunch of men, similar to his background. He was a likely suspect in the cases in Surrey, but nothing was ever proven and he disappeared. Sources believed that he had left the country._

_"Why would he come back to England? Why would he go back to the same areas he had been before, where people would know him?" Murphy dropped the file back on Cowley's desk."_

_"I think that there is someone in Bedwyn Wolfe is interested in." Cowley looked at his agent. "It could be the doctor, or someone else that knew about the attacks."_

_Murphy shook his head. "Everyone in town knew about the attacks. It could be anyone there."_

_"Well, find the evidence, man. That's what you are out there to do." Cowley indicated the meeting was over. It wasn't until Murphy had his hand on the doorknob that Cowley asked. "Have you talked to your father yet?"_

_"No sir."_

_"Don't you think that this is the best time to finally put all your past to rest?"_

___Chapter Eight_

___**Journal Entry**__: October 3__rd__, 0930_

___Pips has told me that he has arranged for me to see Mother. I'm a little worried about how Father will take that and what will happen to her. Pips hasn't mentioned whether or not Father will be joining us. I suppose it's a first step, and one I have to take. _

___  
__**Journal Entry**__: October 3__rd__, 1600_

___Well, that was a bit surprising to say the least. Father did show up with Mother. Pips had them come to his place – much better to have a private conversation someplace where you are not likely to be disturbed. We, Pips and I, were discussing the disappearances when they arrived. I don't think Father liked the topic of conversation he walked in on. I made it clear, I hope, that I was in the area because of the children's disappearances, and that meeting up with him was only owing to convenience, not an overwhelming sense of family obligations. That died with Lisa._

___Mother actually asked me how the investigation was going, and why I was concerned with it. She didn't think that this was something 'my organization' dealt with. I told her straight out that my interest was due to the events of 14 years ago. It was interesting to see Father turn a bit pale at that. Things went downhill from there. _

___Father admitted knowing Wolfe. He admitted having a hand in my assault. I think I always knew that. He was surprised when I walked into the house. He knew Wolfe. Wolfe left the area after he assaulted me because he didn't finish the job, and he thought that Father would turn him in. Or I would. I'm just surprised that Wolfe didn't try to kill Father. _

___Father's dead. Mother is in custody, although I'm sure she'll get a light sentence due to the circumstances. We'll have to wait and see._

_Pips sat down with the Murphy family. He knew the older Murphy was uncomfortable, especially since the conversation mostly centred around the case. His son was not about to make things easy for him. This case was revolving more and more around the events of 14 years ago, and the CI-5 agent wanted answers._

_"Do you know Doctor Adamson well?" Murphy started the conversation abruptly._

_Edwin Murphy stared at his son for a moment. "Not well. He lives at the Lodge. He comes and goes a lot. I don't pay much attention."_

_"He worked at Basingstoke Hospital 14 years ago. He was the attending physician when DI Piper took Lisa and I to get checked out."_

_"Was he? I didn't know."_

_Murphy shrugged slightly. "You weren't there, probably no reason for you to know." He watched his father, who avoided his gaze. "He's being blackmailed. We haven't been able to find out why."_

_The elder man seemed to gain courage from that. He sneered slightly. "You and your mob aren't so tough or smart then!"_

_"Oh, we will find out. It's just a matter of time and we are getting closer to solving it. I've been wandering around to other areas because there's a bigger picture. Someone is abducting children in the region. Caroline Murphy gasped. "I think they are the same men that were in the area 14 years ago. I think you know them."_

_"I'm still your father! You won't speak to me like that!" Edwin roared, pushing away from the table and lumbering to his feet._

_"Father is a name you've never earned." Murphy's voice remained quiet, but Pips could hear the steel behind it. "You lived in the same house, you are husband to my mother, but fathers don't beat their children. Fathers believe their sons when they come home beaten and abused, they don't accuse them of being...what was it you called me? "A flamin' catamite?"_

_Murphy leaned forward. "Why would you think that? What would make you think I was having sex with anyone let alone another male? Why would that be the first thing that came into your head? I could understand it if you started yelling at me that it was my fault that someone beat me up - that I was trying to prove how tough I was and making trouble...at least that would be a logical argument. Not that I was ever in trouble with my teachers or the law...but it would be something that teenage boys did - get into fights. But you knew what happened to me without me telling you. How did you know?"_

_Caroline Murphy watched her husband and son, her hands over her mouth to stifle the soft moans she was uttering. Her eyes were wide. Both men ignored her._

_"Here's what I think. Tell me if I'm wrong. You usually do." Murphy sat back still the picture of calm. "You knew that children were been abused and killed in the area. Even you couldn't have gotten drunk enough to not have heard that in the pub. You were figuring out that I wasn't going to cow down to you and let you rule me, so you were hoping to have something more permanent happen."_

_"Michael, no!" Caroline Murphy pleaded with her son, but was ignored._

_"Maybe you saw them take one of the children. You decided a little blackmail could work - you get them to do your dirty work for you, in exchange for not turning them into the police. That's why Wolfe left the area after you were arrested. If Wolfe and his men weren't around, you couldn't accuse them of anything to get a lighter sentence."_

_"It wasn't like that."_

_"No? You didn't blackmail them? You offered me to them? Maybe you paid them. Maybe you decided that after Wolfe killed me, he could have Lisa. After all, she was younger, more in the age bracket they liked. Could get rid of both kids at the same time. Wolfe must have been a godsend for you." Murphy leaned forward. "You see, I've always wondered why you were surprised when I walked in the door that night. You didn't expect me home. He was supposed to kill me and I got away."_

_"I didn't offer him anything. He paid me for you."_

_Pips leaned forward. So far he had tried to stay in the background to moderate the conversation, but this was getting out of hand. He put a hand on Murphy's arm to try to calm the man down, but was ignored._

_"So you sold your son to a pedophile and when that didn't get rid of me you tried to throw me out of the house to keep your secret. What was the money for?"_

_Caroline was on her feet, staring at her husband. "Edwin, why? Tell me it isn't true!"_

_"Shut up!" Edwin Murphy turned on his wife. " If it wasn't for you my life would have be so much better! But you had to get pregnant! My parents were all over me to do the right thing and look after you and the baby. If you hadn't gotten pregnant none of this would have happened. You made me what I am!"_

_"You killed that child." Caroline whispered. "You hit me, and I lost the baby. Why didn't you leave then?"_

_Edwin looked at her. "My father. He promised to keep me in the will if I stayed married. He and my mother wanted grandchildren. Wanted the name to live on. He always had dreams above his station. I was stuck with you. That's why I wouldn't let you leave me. Then when they died, I found out that they didn't leave me any money, just debts to pay off. Debts I couldn't pay off. Then these men showed up in town."_

_The elder Murphy looked over at his son who was now on his feet. "You're right. I tried to blackmail them. Tried to sweeten the pot by giving them you. Probably would have given them Lisa as well. But they didn't pay me. You got away and they took off."_

_"Where is he, now?" Pips demanded. He was also on his feet, still holding onto Murphy, worried that the younger man would attack the older man. Edwin shook his head._

_"I don't know. He hasn't been in contact with me."_

_"You sold your son to pay bills? Caroline's voice rose to a shriek, interrupting the conversation._

_Turning, she stumbled out of the room. Murphy thought she was heading for the front door, but as the sound of her footprints returned moments later his instincts kicked in. Too late he turned the way she had exited to see her framed in the door, Pips' shotgun in her hands. Pips started for her as she pulled the trigger. The sound was loud in the small room. Murphy reached her moments after Pips had pushed the gun upwards. She did not resist as Pips took the gun from her, just stared across the room. Murphy touched her shoulder gently and she turned to stare blankly at him._

_"I didn't know! I swear I didn't know!" She collapsed in her son's arms._

_**Chapter Nine**_

___**Journal Entry October 5**__**th**__**, 1800 hrs**_

___Well, I don't think that this was the resolution Mr. Cowley was expecting when he told me to deal with my father. But, I guess everything has been resolved. Or as much as I will ever know. Mother's shot was most effective. I don't think he knew what hit him. She's under sedation at the moment in Basingstoke Hospital. I'm hoping that she is strong enough to pull through this. Tamsyn says she will visit her in the next day or two to see how she's doing. Mother has been charged with aggravated manslaughter, so she's under guard. Pips will do whatever he can to get her a light sentence, or suspended sentence. _

___Cowley wants me off the case of course, but I'm fighting him on that. This case needs to be wrapped up. Wolfe is a monster. I never thought of my father as one. Just someone I disliked and couldn't understand. Maybe it was the weakness in him. He didn't accept any of the blame for his life, it was his parents' fault, his wife's fault, his children's fault; never his. He didn't want the responsibility of a family, and blamed Mother for ruining his life. Last time I checked, making children took two people, not one, and the man has as much responsibility over his actions in bed as a woman does. She can't get pregnant without help. More than that, he blamed her for trapping him in a marriage that was the only way for him to get money from his father. I never knew my paternal grandparents. Father had nothing to do with them that I know of. But then, what do I really know about my parents? _

___It took some work, but I finally convinced Cowley to let me stay on the case. Personal or not, I need to be here. We have to snare Wolfe. And we still don't know where the rest of the children are...not all the ones that have disappeared have turned up. _

___Father said he hadn't had contact with Wolfe this time around. Headquarters thinks there is a connection with the shipping schedules, and they think that the children are being taken out of the country, probably to be sold into slavery - whether for labour, or for sexual purposes, we don't know. Cowley is contacting people he knows outside the country to find out what they know about children being smuggled into other countries. _

___So, we need to find out where Wolfe is holed up. Where he's keeping the children, and which port he is using to get them out of the country. I think he's at Bewley Farm, but I don't think that's where the children are._

_Wolfe leaned against the wall, looking over the room. He turned as a shadow fell in the open doorway._

_"Everything is ready."_

_"Good. Let's get going."_

_"What about this copper who has been asking questions? There's two of them at the big manor house, as well as Edwin Murphy's boy." Wolfe's second-in-command looked over at his boss._

_"Edwin Murphy's boy." Wolfe rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The one that got away. What does he know about all of this?"_

_"Not sure, but he's been all over the place, talking to all the stations in the area and along the routes. He's been poking his nose into too much."_

_The second-in-command nodded. "You know Edwin Murphy is dead? His wife shot him I hear. I also hear his boy was there at the time. He probably knows what his old man did."_

_"Then he needs to be stopped. I'll take care of him. Get the lorries on the road. Davids' is going to Portsmouth and Wickman is going to Bristol. They have to be on time. There will be people waiting at the other end. Make sure this place is cleaned out. It's time to move out of the area. I'll grab Henry and Gibson and take care of the copper and make sure there's nothing left to tie us to this place. These coppers are getting too close for comfort."_

_Cowley was waiting for Murphy when he returned to his cottage that afternoon._

_"The investigation into the shipping schedules and lorries has produced some results. There's been regular travel between three ports in the area every month for the last five months. Boats have been departing at night. They're using unmarked lorries and loading up the boats at night immediately before casting off."_

_" Tonight is the night they are moving the children to the ports, if they keep to the schedule. They alternate ports, and there doesn't seem to be a pattern in that, so I've dispatched agents to Portsmouth/Southhampton and Bristol, and port authorities are on the lookout at both ends. Bodie, Doyle, and Miss Martin are searching the farms south of the Lodge to see if they had left yet. Hopefully we can get the children before they are taken out of the area."_

_Cowley settled himself in the car beside Murphy. "You and I are going to search Bewley Farm."_

_Murphy headed back the way he had come, turning west at the crossroads. He noticed headlights in the rear view mirror, and was about to dismiss them when he noticed how fast they were approaching. The car swung around them and cut back in, only to slow down, forcing Murphy to slam on the brakes, slewing his car across the road. They were fast approaching the entryway to Bewley Farm and he took the curve into the lane. Cowley gripped the dashboard as Murphy spun the vehicle around the farm yard. Now in front of them, the car blocked their exit. Cowley and Murphy abandoned the vehicle as another car pulled out of one of the out buildings to block the car from behind._

_Two men from each car approached the CI-5 agents, guns trained on them. They were ordered to drop their weapons and with the emphasis of gun muzzles in their kidneys, forced into the farmhouse._

_Cowley was tied to a chair in the kitchen. He watched as Murphy entered the room and noticed Wolfe straightened from his slouch against the wall._

_"We meet again." he stated simply._

_Murphy gazed back stoically, silent._

_"You survived all those years ago. And became a copper. How ironic." He smiled. "Interesting how it all begins and ends with me. You know I had to give up a good location all those years ago because you survived. And now your father's dead." Wolfe baldly stated._

_"Yeah, he's dead. He told me about the deal you and he had." Cowley silently approved of the calm Murphy was showing._

_"And your mother killed him? And you didn't do anything to stop her!" Wolfe clapped his hands sarcastically. "I am impressed." With a sharp nod at the men holding the tall agent he had them take Murphy into the next room. "And here I was just going to put you out of your misery. Shoot you and leave you for the rats...no wait, leave you for the flames to destroy. Can't have any evidence left behind. But since it's you...I think I'm entitled to a bit of fun first."_

_Cowley had a view of the other room. He watched the shadows move, coalesce, and part. Watched the shadows and listened to the sounds of flesh against flesh, grunts of pain, and shortened breath. He wasn't sure how long it was before the men returned, dragging a badly bruised Murphy with them. Wolfe followed, examining a bloody knuckle. Dumping Murphy onto the floor beside Cowley's chair, the men waited for further instructions._

_"Douse the place, and let's go. We have another stop to make before we leave the area."_

_Chapter Ten_

___**Journal Entry October 8**__**th**__**, 0800**_

___Cowley has given me a few weeks off. The funeral arrangements are finalized and Father will be buried in Bedwyn. Mother is out on bail, staying with Pips. The local authorities don't think she'll be a risk in terms of running, and Pips can look after her. I don't know how things are going to turn out with her and me. She's starting to deal with the grief. She also knows that I can't just drop everything and say its alright. We both have to take things one step at a time. Tamsyn has been travelling down to Bedwyn as often as possible, making sure everything is all right._

___Wolfe and his men had left Cowley and I at the farmhouse, poured petrol in the rooms, and set fire to the building. However, he hadn't taken the time to check to see if we were carrying more than just guns. He had beaten me up, but hadn't managed to knock me out. After they left, I grabbed the knife in my boot and cut Cowley free and we got out of the house before it was totally engulfed. They had, however, taken my car. Walking through the woods in the dark is not all that fun, even if you know the paths, so by the time we reached the cottage, all the excitement was over._

___Bodie, Doyle, and Cynthia had stopped Wolfe before he left Bedwyn, meeting up with him on their way back to the cottage where we were supposed to meet if nothing came of the searches. Cowley had taken the precaution of asking the surrounding police to send men to block the roads out of town. There was a bit of a fight with no casualties on our side. Adamson was arrested for drug dealing. He had been stealing from more than one clinic in the area, as a way to keep the suspicion off of himself. He had been under suspicion for some time, so it was actually a legitimate case Bodie and Cynthia were on. One of the Whitehall Warriors Cowley knows found out about it and asked Cowley to look into it. At the same time Cowley found out about the children being abducted and murdered. He decided to look into both. I don't know who told him about the children but Cowley hardly ever gives us the whole story._

___The lorries were stopped by port authorities at Bristol and Bournemouth before they were able to unload their cargo, and the men driving arrested. Across the channel Interpol had arrested some men waiting for the cargo to arrive. I guess this operation had been ongoing for a while before CI-5 got involved. _

___Bodie and Cynthia Martin seem to be spending their off-time together. I'm not sure how Cowley feels about it. He doesn't really like agents fraternizing, but it's Bodie we're talking about. _

___Cowley tells me to take Tam on a proper honeymoon, away from England so I can't be called into action. We decided that the North American continent might be interesting to see. Tam is busy with the details while I finish up with this case. I think it's going to involve a lot of hiking out in the middle of nowhere - out of the reach of telephones. She's determined to keep me out of Cowley's reach for the entire time I have off. She tells me I can send him postcards._

___I'll need to be available for the trials. Mother's and Wolfe's, of course. We're not sure when they are going to be put in front of the judge. I can't help but think that there must have been something I could have done to prevent this. Did my pride get in the way? I could have easily come down and talked to them before this. I didn't need to have shunned them two years ago. Wolfe might still have come back to the area, but whether Mother would have shot Father, well, I don't know._

___I've said that I don't dwell on the past. I can't change what happened to me. I can't change how Father felt about his life. He made his choice in life to stay with Mother, rather than leave and risk losing money he never received anyway. _

___If I had stayed with Mother rather than go to Granda's, maybe I could have persuaded her to stay away from Father. Maybe I could have persuaded her when Lisa died. I don't know. I'll never know. _

___I can't change what happened. But, I can give Mother the support now I should have given her back then._


End file.
